Soundstream - Julie's Theme

Soundstream - Julie's ThemeSoundstream makes house music with cut up disco samples. It's a simple formula. In theory anyone should be able to create the kind of music he makes, but somehow his records sound unlike anyone else. Both sides of this new 12-inch are full of the intangible magic that makes Frank Timm's music so unique.

"Julie's Theme" is vintage Soundstream. Stuttering keyboards that sound more or less like an old jazz-funk CD skipping introduce the record. Slowly, hi-hats and organ stabs begin to fill in the blanks until a shimmering disco melody is revealed. But, as soon as the record's reached some kind of equilibrium, Soundstream begins to dismember things until only agitated blips and spartan percussion remain. This leaves space open for an absolutely huge kick drum to dominate proceedings during the record's second half. This combo of gutsy sound design and beautiful melodic flourishes are exactly what Soundstream's all about: he is, after all, a funk lover that has spent a large part of his adult life associating with the hardcore techno nerds at Hard Wax.

"Inferno" may or may not owe its name to the Trammps' '70s classic, but it shares much of the strutting dance floor energy. Rooted by a bassline straight out of the Bernard Edwards slap funk playbook, the track is propelled by soaring strings, disco hits and those ever-present big kick drums. These elements are perhaps some of the most overused in dance music, but somehow "Inferno" doesn't sound clichéd. Throughout this 12-inch, Soundstream once again proves that "soulful house" can be so much more than wailing divas and third-rate Shelter records.

More on Soundstream

Let’s be honest: most of today’s club music protagonists are as exciting as dead meat. Frank Timm a.k.a. Soundhack alias Soundstream is the great exception to this rule. This boy serves cuisine instead of fast food.View the full artist profile